Container-closing machine.



R. S. CLARKE.

CONTAINER CLOSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.16, 1910.

Patented May 9, 1911.

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R. S. CLARKE.

CONTAINER CLOSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 16, 1910.

992,1 12, Patented May 9,1911.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RALPH S. CLARKE, OF WALPOLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES S BIRD,OF EAST WALPOLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

- CONTAINER-CLOSING MACHINE.

Patented May 9, 1911.

Application filed November 16, 1910. Serial No. 582,707.

To all who'mfit may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH S. CLARKE, of Walpole, in the county ofNorfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Container-Closing Machines, of which the fol-. lowing isa specification, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings,forming part thereof.

This invention relates to an improved machine for closing and sealingthe flaps of containers or cases in which merchandise, preferably packedin cartons, may be shipped.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of this natureadapted to close and seal the flaps of containers 01' cases ofcomparatively large dimensions and formed or constructed ofcomparatively thick paper board or; similar material.

Another object ofthe invention is to improve the fiap folding devices ofmachines of this nature.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the followingdescription.

The invention consists in such peculiar features of construction andnovel combination of parts as shall hereinafter be more fully describedand pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1', represents a side elevation of the improved container closingmachine, parts of the same being broken away. Fig. 2, represents a planview of the machine with parts thereof broken away. Fig. 3, repre-'sents an end view of the machine. Fig; 4, represents an enlargedsectional detail view showing the manner in which the' presser rolls aremounted. Fig. 5, is a side'elevation of parts of'the machineillustrating, diagrammatically, the closing of the end flaps of thecontainer. Fi 6, represents a perspective view of one en of the box,case or container particularly ada ted to be closed by this machine.Fig. is a side view of said box, case or container showing the flaps inthe position as when said cont ainer is placed on the machine. Fig. 8,represents a cross sectional view taken on line 8-8 Fig. 5,diagrammatically ,illustrating the turning outward of the fourth flapsand the engagement of the third flaps, to which adhesive has previouslybeen applied, by the winding guides which 'ultimately turn said thirdflaps against the first and second-flaps. Fig. 9, represents a similarview taken on line 9- 9 Fig. 5 showing the fourth flaps in engagementwith the winding guides which close said fourth flaps against the thirdflaps.

Similar numbers of reference designate corresponding parts throughout.

Containers of the nature herein particularly mentioned are intended foruse as boxes, or cases in which cartons or articles of merchandise arepacked for shipment. These containers are formed of compara tively thickpaper board and are preferably rectangular in shape; having end fia sa-a and 6-0 which, in the order of their folding are herein referred toas first and second flaps a, a, third flap b, and fourth flap c whichare scored at their line of juncture with the main bod d. The machinefor closing these containers d, d is su ported on a main frame havingthe longitudinal members 10, 10, mounted on the standards 11, 12 and 13and suitably cross braced. To the cross piece or brace 14, between standards 13 are secured the inwardly curving supporting arms 15, 15 forreceivin the package or container d, which is to be c osed, andsupporting the same between the parallel guide plates 16, 16 mounted onbrackets extending from the members 10, 10 and forming a runway leadingbetween the glue or adhesive receptacles 17, 17 supported above the mainframe and furnished with rolls 18, 18 mounted on the shafts 19, 19 whichare journaled in bearings of the frame 20, 20 and have'sprockets 21, 21driven by chains 22, 22' from the sprockets 23, 23 of the shafts 24, 24which latter are journaled in bearings of said frames 20, 20 and havethe sprockets 27, 27 of the shaft 28 journaled in bearings, mounted onthe standards 12, and operated by the chain 29 engaged with the sprocket30, of said shaft 28, and with the sprocket 31 of the main shaft 32,which latter has the loose pulley 33 and the tight pulley 34. Pivotallymounted on the frames 20, 20 of the glue applying mechanism are the arms35, 35 carrying shafts on which are rotatable the rolls 36, 36 whichbear against the peripheries of the rolls 18, 18 whereby these rolls 36,36 are frictionally driven by and receive adhesive from said rolls 18,18 and deliver said adhesive tothe upper or outer surfaces of the flapsc, c of the container (1 when said flaps pass between the rolls 18 and36. It is preferred to use rolls 36 of less length than those marked 18when adhesive is to be applied only to such portions of the outersurface of the flaps 0, 0 as are to be overlapped by the flaps b, b.

Extending from the glue or adhesive receptacles 17, in the direction inwhich the containers travel are the straight guides 37 37 the loweredges of which are above the line of the edges of the flaps b, I) of thecontainers d when said containers pass through the machine, and thelength of'which guides 37 37 to the downwardly and outwardly curved ends38, 38, thereof is preferably somewhat greater than the length of saidflaps b, 6. Supported on the standards 39, 39 mounted on the framemembers 10, 10 are the winding guides 40, 40 and 41, 41 of which guides40, 40 extend-above the glue rolls 18, 18 at the ends of said guidesnearest said rolls, and then extend gradually downward and curve inwardat 40', 40 to meet the straight portions40 40 thereof, while the guides41, 41 starting from points. outside of the ends 38, 38 of the guides 3737 curve inward and upward at points 41, 41 beyond the curves 40, 40 ofguides 40, 40 to meet the straight holding portions 41 41 At the ends ofthe straight portions 40 and 40 of the respective guides 40 and 41 islocated the compression mechanism which comprises frames 42, 42 mountedon the frame members 10, 10 and having longitudinal members 43, 43carrying spring pressed supports 44, 44 in bearings of which are mountedthe presser rolls-45, 45 which bear against the belts 46, 46, when saidbelts are used, mounted on the rolls 47 and 48 s the shafts of which arejournaled in bearings mounted on the members 43, 43 the shafts 49, 49 ofthe rolls 48, 48 having at their lower ends bevel gears 50, 50, Fig. 3,which are driven from similar gears 51, 51 on the shaft 52, journaled inbearings mounted on the standards 11', 11 and having the sprockets 53,53 and 54 of which the latter .is driven bythe chain 55 from thesprocket 56 of any ordinary clutch member 57 mounted on the main shaft32.

J ournaled in bearings of the frame mem bers 10, 10 near the standards13, is. the shaft 58 having sprockets 59, .59 on which, and thesprockets 53, 53 of shaft 52, are mounted the carrying chains 60, 60furnished with the pivoted arms 61, 61 suitably braced by the rods 62,62 pivotally connected with said arms 61, 61 and with the chains 60, 60.The pairs of arms 61, 61 being connected by cross rods 63, 63 which alsoact as means for preventing the drawing together of said chains at thepoints unsupported by their.

sprockets.

\Vhen the main shaft 32 is driven, the glue rolls 18 are driven throughtheir connect-lens with the sprocket 31 and the adhesive, preferably asolution of silicate of soda, in the receptacles 17, 17 is thus keptmixed and in condition for use while the container carrying means,comprising the chains 60, 60 and their arms 61', 61 is not necessarilydriven.

clutch member with said shaft 32 chain 55 and sprocket 54 with shaft 52and its connected mechanism is operated. 1 After the container (Z hasbeen packed it end flaps a, a are turned inward against the goods asshown in Fig. 6 and its flaps b, b are then turned against said flaps a,a to hold said flaps a, a in the closed position while the flaps c, cextend outward in line with the top of the container. The operative,holding with his hands the flaps b, I) now places the container 03crosswise on the supports 15, 15 and pushes said container between theplates 16, 16, the flaps c, 0 overlapping the upper edges of said plates16, 16. When, now, a pair of the arms 61, 61 engage said container theycarry it (the container) along in their movement with the chains 60, 60until the flaps c, c are carried, between the pairs of rolls 18, 36 andreceive adhesive. After the container (1 has been moved suflicientlybeyond the receptacles 17 17 to permit the flaps b, b to be turnedoutward said flaps are engaged at t-heir upper forward corners by thecurved portions 38, 38 of'the guides 37, 37 which enter between saidflaps I), Z) and aya and, as the container (2 is moved along turnsoutwardthe flaps b, b sufiiciently as shown in Fig. 8 to permit theturning downward of'the flaps c, c b

the bends 40, 40 of the guides 40, 40 unt1l the under surfaces of saidflaps c, 0 are closed against the flaps a, a, as shown in Fig. 9 and aresecured theretoby the adhesive on said under surfaces of said flaps 0,a. At this time the turned outward flaps b, b are engaged by the upwardand inward curves 41, 41' of the guides 41, 41 and are a 41 and enterbetween the belts 46, 46 where \Vhen the sprocket 56 is connected by itspressure is exerted on the ends of the cartons by the spring pressedrolls 45, .45 and, finally, the closed and sealed containers anddelivered to the inclined way 65.

- It is of course evident that the mechanism fore, it is not myintention to limit my invention except as herein claimed.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent.

1. A container closing machine of the nature described comprising arunway, adhesive applying devices at both sides of said runway, andhaving means for applying adhesive to both sides of container flapsextending laterally above said runway, means for moving a containerthrough said runway and organized means acting on flaps of saidcontainer after said container passes the adhesive applying means forprogressively turning outward and inward certain of the container flapsand for folding inward said flaps having adhesive as an intermediatestep in said folding operation, substantially as described.

2. A closing machine for a container having at both ends pairs of flaps,one adapted to overlap the other when closed, comprising organized meansfor carrying said container forward with the overlap flap of each pairclosed, means for applying adhesive to the outer surface of the openflaps, means for turning outward said overlap flaps means for turninginward said flaps having adhesive, and means for turning inward saidoverlap flaps.

3. A closing machine for containers having at both ends two or moreflaps adapted to overlap when closed, comprising means for ap lyingadhesive to both sides of certain of said flaps, means for turningoutward other of said flaps, means for turning inward and holding thefirst mentioned flaps,

means for turning inward and holding said second mentioned flaps, andmeans for moving said container while such pairs of flaps areindependently held in closed position.

4. A closing machine for containers having at both ends two or moreflaps adapted to overlap when closed comprising a runway of which thesides are formed by means for holding certain of said flaps in theclosed position, organized means for applying adhesive to other of saidflaps, for opening said first mentioned flaps, and for operatingindependently on said flaps in succession to close the same and holdthem in the closed position, and means for carrying said containersthrough said runway.

RALPH S. CLARKE. Witnesses H. J. MILLER, H. H. MILLER.

